Coin-controlled weighing device.



No. 680,221. Patented Aug. I3, |901,

n. A. BnoNsoN.

com coNTnoLLEn wElaHms nl-zylce.

(Application filed Nov. 16, 1900.)

4 Sheets-Sheet l.

Patented Aug. I3, |901.

. A. BRDNSUN.

GOIN CONTRULLED WEIGHING DEVICE.

(Application `led Nov. 16, 1900.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

o.. WASHINGTON. a c..

.wrnenms A Patented Aug. ls, |901.

A. BRNSN. CDIN' CONTROLLED WEIGHING DEVVICE.

, (Application filed Nov. 16, 1900.;

4 Sheets-'Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

No. 680,22l. Patented Aug. |3,vl9o|.

u. A. nouson.

COIN CUNTROLLED WEIGHING DEVICE.

(Applatinn filed Nov. 16, 1900.)

(No Model.) 4 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

/f/ if @Nimm l l l ML/@M w64@ TH: mms vains 00 Pnoruumo., wAsnmoYoN. ovc,

UNITED STATES PATENT OEETCE.

OTTO A. BRONSON, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

COIN-CONTROLLED WEIGHING DEVICE.

SPECIFECATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 680,221, dated August13, 1 901.

I Application tiled November 16, 1900. Serial No. 36,668. (No model.)

To all whom it may conceal/e:

Be it known that I, OTTO A. BRONSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Minneapolis, inthe county of Hennepin and State ofMinnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in CoinControlled W'eighing Devices; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse'the same.

My present invention relates to coin-controlled weighing devices, andhasV for its object to improve the same in the several particularshereinafter noted.

Y The invention consists of the novel devices and combinations ofdevicesV hereinafter described, and defined in the claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein likecharacters inparts broken away, showing a weighing de-v vice constructedin accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of theweighin g device with some parts broken away. Fig. 3 is a horizontalsectionon the line x3 c3 of Fig. l. Fig. is avieW in front elevation,some parts being indicated in dotted-line positions and others beingbroken away, showing the principal portions of theA automaticscale-actuated mechanism. Fig. 5 is a det-ail in front elevation withsome parts broken away, showing the indicator removed from the case.Fig'. 6 isa side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 3, some partsbeing sectioned. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in Figs. 4and 6, some parts being removed. Fig. 8 is a transverse vertical sectionon the line x8 es of Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a detail view in front elevationwith some parts broken away, showing approximately the same parts whichare shown in Fig. 7. Fig. l0 is a view in front elevation correspondingto Fig. 4, but illustratingdifferent positions of the parts. Fig. 11 isa view in side elevation corresponding to some extent to Fig. 6, butillustrating different positions of the parts; and Fig. l2 is a detailview of the indicator corresponding to Fig. 5, but illustrating adifferent position of the indicator-rod.

So far as my invention is concerned a platform-scale of any suitableconstruction may be employed, and hence this platform-scale is butbrieyindicated in the drawings. Of the parts thereof the numeral lindicates the platform on which the person is to stand, which platformactuates the scale levers or beams, which are located within the basebox5. l

In Fig. 2 the numeral 3 indicates the projecting end of one of the scalelevers or beams, from which in the construction illustrated theautomatic mechanism for controlling they indicator under the action ofthe coin is operated.

The numeral 4t indicates a vertically-extended case or cabinet, to thelower end of which is rigidly secured base-box 2.

The indicator in the construction illustrated comprises a graduatedscale a, a transparent tube a', and an indicator-rod a2, which telehscopes through the tube a'. The tube a is shown as secured to the scalea by means of brackets a3, and the scale is shown as secured by screwsa4 to the inwardly-depressed central portion 5 of the case 4.

In the best construction of the indicatoractuating mechanism itcomprises what may be designated as a primary and asecondary actuator.As shown, the primary actuator comprisesa pair of vertically-movablebolts b, rigidly connected at their upper ends by a horizontal plate band mounted to freely slide through suitable keeper-guides of a frame orskeleton support 6, which frame is shown as rigidly secured to abackboard 7, which in turn is rigidly secured within and to the back ofthe case or cabinet 4. The downward or operative movement of the primaryactuator is restrained by a lock, best afforded by a 'ratchet bar orrack b2 and a cooperating springpressed lock-pawl b3, which rack isrigidly secured to and projects vertically from the frame 6, and whichpawl is mounted to slide in a keeper b4, rigid on'the top of the plate bof the primary actuator.

The secondary actuator in the construction illustrated comprises a longrack b5, a coperating spur-wheel t, having on its hub a small pinion b7and a vertically-movable ratchet-bar bs, provided with a rack b9, thatmeshes with thepinion 67. The long rack b5 is connected at its upper endto the lower end ICO of the indicator-rod a2, and it is held in meshwith the gear Z2 and permitted free vertical movements by means ofguide-rollers Z110 and D, suitably mounted on the frame G. The gear bhas trunnions Z112, which are journaled in the sides of the frame G. Therack-bar bs is loosely mounted with freedom for vertical movements inthe right-hand portion of the frame G, as viewed in Figs. 4 and 10, and,as shown, bearings for the same are aiorded by the cooperatingguide-pins b and bl, which form parts ot said frame 6. The cooperatingguide-pins bl (see Figs. and 8) hold the rack b9 in engagement with thecooperating pinion bl, while the pins om hold the racks 198 and b9against lateral movements toward and from the front plate of the frame6. It will be noted that the upper end of the ratchet-bar bs engages theunder side of the top plate b of the so-called primary actuator. lt isevident that when the primary actuator moves downward it will force thesaid rack-bar bs also downward, and hence will operate the socalledsecondary actuator.

The coin-actuated trip for the lock-pawl b3 involves a trip-lever c,pivotcd at c to a post c2, projected vertically from the head-plate b ofthe so-called primary register-actuator. At its extended end thetrip-lever c is provided with a coin-receiving pocket c3, having adrop-bottom c4 pivoted thereto at c5 and normally closed by a spring 5*.Atits other and shorter end the triplever c is shown as provided with apair of laterallyspaced screw-threaded prongs c6, on whichbalancing-weights c7 work as nuts to properly counterpoise or balancethe trip-lever. The weights c7 are normally so adjusted that gravitywill hold the trip-lever c and its pocket c3 in the position indicatedby full lines in Figs. 4 and l0, but with such slight force as will beovercome by the falling of the coin into the pocket c3 ol saidtrip-lever. When the triplever c is forced into the position indicatedby dotted lines in Fig. l0 and by full lines in Fig. 9, the pronged endthereof engages the upper end of a pivoted intermediate lever or lingerce, shown as pivoted to a small bracket c on the head-plate b' of theprimary actuator. The lower end of said lever or finger C8 is shown asprojected through a perforation in the outer end of the lock-pawl b3.

The ratchet-bar b3 of the secondary indicator-actuator is normally heldupward toits limit against the plate b' ofthe primary actuator, this, asshown, being accomplished bya weight d, connected vwith the upper end ofsaid bar by a cord d, which runs over a guide-pulley d2, mounted in abracket d3, suitably secured to the back ol' the case et above thebackboard 7.

A spring-pressed pawlf, which constitutes alocl, cooperates with theratchet-teeth of the bar 128 to preventreturn movement there-` of exceptwhen the said pawl is drawn outward. The said pawl is drawn outward torelease the ratchet-bar 128 when the primary actuator is in its normalposition by means of a cam-barf', having au inclined cam-sur face f2.The upper end of this bar j" is rig idly secured to a depending flangef3 of the head-plate b, and the depending portion thereof works throughan elongated perforation in the said pawl j.

The amount of movement to be given to the primary actuator and throughthe secondary actuator to the indicator-rod a? is of course proportionalto the weight of the person ou the scale-platform l. Hence this movementis predetermined by the position of the socalled actuator-stop, which issubject to the scale-lever mechanism. Advisably thc actuator-stop is inthe form of a horizontallyextended stop-plate g, formed integral withvertical end plates g', provided with bearinglugs g2, that slide freelyon vertical guiderods g3, secured at their ends tothe baclcboard 7. Thestop-plate g is yieldingly held upward to its limit byapairof coiledsprings g4, the lower ends of which are connected to the end plates gand the upper ends of which are provided with or secured to screw-boltsg5, projected through lugs g on the back board 7 and provided withadjusting-nuts r/T. The stop-*plate g is connected by a rod g3 to thefree end of the scale-lever 3, previously noted.

To trip or tilt the drop-bottom of the coinpocket cof the trip devicealready described a releasing device is provided, which as preferablyconstructed comprises a verticallymovable rod 7c, which works through aguide 7e on the backboard 7 and is pivoted at 'its lower end to a leverk2, which in turn is pivoted to a lug 7c3 on the stop-plate g. Theshorter end ot' the lever 7a2 stands below and in position to beengaged'by the lower end of the left-hand' rod b of the so-callecprimary actuator. Normally the springs gl hold the stop-plate g upwardto its limit,with the free end ot' the level-7a pressed against thelower end of the coperating rod l), and through this engagement forcethe primary TOO IIO

actuator upward to its limit, this limit, as

shown, being determined by the engagement of the head-plate b with astop his on the 'fixed ratchet-bar b2. The normal positions of the partsare indicated by full lines in Figs. et, 5.

6, 7, and 8. It will be remembered that the parts of the so-calledsecondary registeractuator-to wit, ratchet-bar h3, rack o, gears h and137, and rack h5, as well as the indicatorrod CLL-are returned to theirnormal postions and there yieldingly held by the action of the weightd.'

m indicates the coin-delivery chute or spout.

Operation: The person to be weighed steps upon the scale-platform 1, andhis weight is then rendered effective to draw downward the actuatorstop-plate g more or less, according to his weight, thereby setting thestop-plate in advance of the movement of the indicator-actuatingmechanism and predetermining the subsequent movement thereof and of theindicator-rod a2. Up to this time no movement whatever of theindicator-actuator has taken place, or, in fact, could take place, sincesaid mechanism is locked by the pawl b3. The person to be weighed whilestanding on the platform 1 drops the coinwhich we will assume is apennye-into the coin-chute m. drops directly onto the pivot between thebottom c4 and the lever-pocket c3, and thereby forces the trip-lever c,intermediate lever o8, and lock-pawl b3 into the position indicated inFig. 9. The coin strikes the bottom c4 in the vicinity of its pivot, andhence said bottom is not opened by the momentum thereof. Hence thelock-pawl b3 is held in its releasing` position for the time being andthe primary indicator-actuator is permitted to fall to thelpredetermined limit, as determined by the position ofthe stop-plate g.Under the downward movement of the primary actuator its head-plate Z9'engages and forces downward the ratchet-bar bs and rack b9 of thesecondary actuator, and through the gears h6 and bl' and rack h5 theindicator-rod a2 is raised to give the proper indication on the scale a.Assuming the persons weight to be one hundred and lifty pounds, thestop-plate g would be moved into the-position indicated by dotted linesin Fig. 4 and byfull lines in Fig. l0. With the stop-plate g moved asindicated the indicator-actuating mechanism, when permitted to move fromits normalposition into the position indicated in Fig. 10, will causethe indicator-rod a2 to be moved upward within the tube a', as indicatedin Fig. 12, so that its upper end is'in line with theone-hundred-and-tifty-pound mark on the scale a.

The indicator-rod a2'would advisably be colored, so as to make itsposition more readily observed. At the limit of the predetermineddownward movement of the primary actuator the lower end of the left-handrod h strikes the free end of the lever k2, and thereby forces upwardthe coin-releasing rod 7c, the upper end of which rod engages the innerend of the drop-bottom c4 of the coin-box c3, thereby tilting saidbottom, as indicated in Fig. 10, and permitting the coin to drop into asuitable receptacle. (Not shown.) As soon as the trip-lever cis relievedof the weight of the coin it is by its weights c7 thrown back into itsnormal position, thereby releasing the lockpawl b3 and permitting'saidpawl to positively lock the indicator -`actuating mechanism againstfurther operative movement, as indicated by full lines in Fig. lO. Henceit is evident that if a second person or heavier person than the firststeps upon the platform l a second weight cannot be indicated withoutfirst dropping a second coin to release the lock-pawl b3. The initialdownward movement of the primary actuator carries the camsurface f2 ofthe bar f below the lock-pawl f, and thereby permits the said pawl toengage the teeth of the ratchet-bar bs. The said The coin from the chutemv pawlf permits the ratchet-bar bs to be moved downward as far as itmay be forced by the plate b' of the primary actuator and locks the samein the lowest position into which it is forced. This pawlj" thereforeserves to lock the ratchet-bar o8 and parts connected therewith,including the indicator-rod a2, against return movement in case alighter person should step onto the platform l in place of the personwhose weight has been indicated. When the person whose weight has beenindicated steps from the platform l, the stopplate g under the action ofthe springs g4 is moved upward and back to normal position, therebyforcing upward the rods b and head which constitute in the illustrationgiven the primary actuator. As this primary actnator closely approachesits extreme uppermost or normal position the cam-surface of thedepending barfl again acts upon the lockpawl f and releases the samefrom the teeth of the ratchet-bar 198, whereupon the weight CZ ispermitted to become active to restore the parts of the secondaryactuator and the indicator-rod a2 to their normal positions.

What l claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the UnitedStates, is as follows:

l. The combination with a scale-platform, of an indicator, anindicator-actuating lnechanism, a lock for restraining the operativemovement ot' said actuating mechanism, a coin-controlled trip operatingtol release said lock, means for causing said lock to again becomeactive only at the predetermined limit of movement of said actuatingmechanism, another lock for preventing the returning movement of saidindicator, a releasing device for said latter lock, and means wherebysaid releasing device is operated bythe upward movement of thescale-platform.

2. The combination with a scaleplatform, of an indicator, a primary anda secondary indicator-actuator, a lock restraining the operativemovement of said primary actuator, means whereby the operative movementof said primary actuator imparts an operative movement to said secondaryactuator, a coincontrolled trip operating to release said lock, meansfor causing said lock to again become active at the predetermined limitof movement, anotherlock for holding said secondary actuator againstreturn movement, a releasing device for said latter lock, means wherebythe return movement ofsaid primary actuator operates said releasingdevice, and a limiting-stop controlled by said scale-platform andarranged to be set in advance to limit and predetermine the operativemovement of said primary actuator.

3. The combinat-ion with a scale-platform, of an indicator, a primaryand a secondary indicator-actuator, movable the one with respect to theother; a pawl-and-ratchet lock limiting the operative movement of saidprimary actuator, means whereby said primary actuator operates saidindicator through said secondary actuator, a coin-controlled trip forIOO IIO

releasing the paWl of said lock, means for permitting said pawl tobecome active again at the predetermined limit of the scale indication,a paWl-and-ratchet lock forholding said secondary actuator againstreturn movement, a releasing device for the paWl of said latter lock,means whereby said releasing device is actuated by the final returnmovement of said primary actuator, and a limiting-stop controlled bysaid scale-platform, and arranged to be set in-advance to variably limitand predetermine the operative movement of the primary actuator.

4. The combination withthe scale-platform, of an indicator, a primaryand secondary actuator for said indicator, means whereby the formeractuator imparts an operative movement to the latter but has an advancereturn movement, a paWl-and'ratchet lock restraining the operativemovement of said primary actuator, a coin-controlled trip for the pawlof said lock, having the coin-pocket With a drop-bottom, apaWl-andratchet lock restraining the return movement of said secondaryactuator, a releasing device for the pawl of said latter lock actuatedbythe final return movement of said primary actuator, an actuator stopor controller controlled by the scale-platform and arranged to be set inadvance to variably intercept and predetermine the movement of saidprimary actuator, an automatic releasing device operative on thedrop-bottom of said coin-trip, and means whereby said release device isitself rendered .operative by said register-actuator, at the limit ofits predetermined movement.

5. The combination with an indicator, of an indicator-actuator, a stopfor said actuator, adapted to be set in advance to predetermine themovement of said aetuator,means for releasing said actuator after saidstop has been set, and means for automatically locking said actuatoragainst return movement at the limit of its predetermined operativemovement.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

OTTO A. BRONSON.

\Vitnesses: A

MABEL M. MoGRoRY, F. D. MERCHANT.

